Paper-feeding machine.



F. L. CROSS.

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.4,1903.

9"?L975 PatentedOct. 4, 1910.

lull)" FRANK L. CROSS, OF MYSTIC, CONNECTICUT.

PAPER-FEEDING MACHINE.

saints.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 4, 1910.

Application filed December 4, 1903. Serial No. 183,729.

front gage.

In mechanisms embodying the features of the invention the accurate register of the sheets against the front gages 1s insured by devices arranged below the path of the sheet as it is fed to the gages and which are raised to engage the sheet and moved forward to press the sheet snugly against the front gages. These devices consist of fingers which move up behind the sheet after it has passed and by engagement with the rear edge of the sheetpnsh it forward so that its front edge is accurately registered against the front ages. The forward movement of the sheet y the pusher-s may be facilitated by supporting the sheet in front of the pushers upon a support which advances with the pushers. This construction is of especial advantage in feeding large or thin sheets where the friction between the sheet and a stationary support might interfere with the eflicient action of the pushing fingers. In case the sheet when released by the devices which deliver'it at the front gages, rests upon a stationary support the friction may be relieved in part or wholly by lifting devices which raise the sheet and move forward with the pushing fingers. In such construction the lifting devices constitute one form ofsupport in advance of the pushers moving forward with the pushers.

[n embodying these features of invention in a simple and efficient mechanism I have employed certain further features of invention. All these features of invention will be understood from a detailed description of the construction which 1 have shown in the accompanying drawings. I

In these drawings Figure 1 is a sectional elevation on the line 1-1 Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of so much of the feeding mechanism as is necessary to show the application of the present improvements thereto.

Fig. 3 is a detail showing the manner of mounting and operating the pushing fingers on an enlarged scale. Fig. i is a sectional view on line l-4 Fig.

In the construction shown in the drawings, A indicates the front gages of a printing press or other machine to which the sheets are presented. The devices for delivering the sheets at the front gages consist of delivery rolls B B arranged to engage opposite sides of the sheets and feed them forward over the guiding and supporting bars (J and feed board C which form-a stationary support for the sheets as they pass to the front gages. The sheets are ad vanced to the rolls B B by a second set of delivery rolls D D which are arranged at the front end of a feed board E. The individual sheets are separated from a pile of sheets on the feed board E and advanced into position to be acted. upon by the delivery rollers D D by combing rolls F which act intermittently upon the pile and may be controlled by suitable tripping devices such for instance as are shown in Patent- 690,702 granted to me January 7, 1902. The delivery rollers D. B are rotated eitlrer continuously or intermittently by any suitable operating mechanism (not shown) and the rollers D, B are raised and lowcred at proper intervals to press the sheets against the rolls 1), B anl to release the sheets after they have been advanced into proper position. The rollers D are carried in arms rl secured to a rock shaft (Z which is rocked at proper intervals by a cam d secured to a cam shaft G and engaging an arm (17* secured to the shaft (P. The rollers B are mounted upon two of a series of bars I) which extend forward from a rock shaft 6. The shaft Z) is rocked at the proper intervals by a cam 19 secured to the shaft G and engaging an arm I) secured to the shaft b.. Theparts are so timed that the rollers D Bf a re dropped into engagement with the rollers D, B after the sheet has been allgamed .into position between the rollers l).

edge of the sheet has reached the rollers B, B and the roller B is raised to release the sheet as its front edge comes into position at the front gages A. After the sheet has been presented at the front gages by the delivery devices the front edge of the sheet is pressed snugly against the front gages by the action of two pusher fingers H which The roller 1) is raised after the front llO the front gages, the rear justed to act upon the lie below the path of the sheet as it is advanced over the bars C and are raised and advanced after the sheet has passed to bring them up back of the sheet and against its rear edge so that they push the sheet forward against the front gages. By these pushing fingers the sheet will be accurately registered against the front gages in case it has rebounded from the gages when pre-' sented to them by the delivery devices or in case it has not been brought into enga ement with the front gages by the delivery devices. In case the delivery devices employed to present the sheets at the front gages are so constructed or operated that they will deliver the sheet in a fixed position the pushing fingers will insure the accurate register of the sheet against the front gages even if the adjustment of the front gages is changed without a corresponding adjustment in the delivery devices. To insure this action of the'pushing fingers they should be mad justed that they will advance somewhat after the front edge of the sheet has engaged edge of the sheet buckling to allow such movement. With the fingers thus adjusted they will advance the sheet against the front gages even if the gages are adjusted to increasetheir distance from the delivery devices.

The pushing fingers H are in the form of blocks secured upon bars 1 arranged below the path of the sheets and the rear sides of the fingers are inclined so that the sheet may pass freely over the fingers in case they should project somewhat above the support over which the sheets are fed to the front gages. The fingers are adjustably secured upon the bars I so that they may be adrear edge of the sheetsof varying size. The bars I are secured in blocks 1, 1 which rest respectively upon transverse rods J, J. The rod J is carried in the upper ends of rock arms secured upon a rock shaft j, while the rod J is fixed in position and is engaged by a cam face T on the block 1 When the shaft red the bar l. advanced tov hid the To raised, the rear end d by the movement of mt end of the bar being lztlsfitl by the slit g of the cam surface on the rod J. As the bar 1 moves up- L it iift-sthe sheet in frontof the fingers way from the bars C so that the bars I is a support for the sheet in front of the ers H which moves forward with the fin- This lifting of the sheet relieves the on between the sheet and the bars C so the forward movement of the sheet by e pushing fingers f is insured even when or thin sheets. "ed from a cam j on the ch engages the upper end of a lever j" the lower end of which is en- The rock shaft j by an arm j secured thereto;

.rear end of the bar j is guided in a bracket j and the bar is held in engagement with the lever y' by a spring j The parts are so timed that the bars I are raised and advanced as the delivery sheet and are returned to their rearward and lower position before the next sheet is ad vanced by the delivery devices.

While I have shown and described a construction in which the delivery devices consist of a series of rolls, and the sheet support over which the sheets are fed comprises a series of supporting bars, it will be understood that the features of invention are not confined to these forms of delivery devices and supports and that any other suitable or well known form or construction of delivery devices or supports may be combined with the devices for insuring the accurate register of the sheet against the front gages set forth in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with front gages of delivery devices for delivering sheets at the gages, bars arranged below the path of the sheets, pushcrs secured to the bars in position to engage the rear edge of the sheet, and means for raising and advancing the bars to lift the sheet and advance it against the front gages.

2. The combination with front gages of delivery devices for delivering sheets at the gages, a sheet support over which the sheets pass to the gages, bars arranged below the path of the sheets, pushers adjustably secured to the bars, and means for raising the bars above the support and advancing them to carry the sheet forward against the front gages.

3. The combination with front gages of a sheet support over which the sheets pass to the gages, bars arranged below the path of the sheets, pushers secured to the bars, devices whereby the pushers may be adjusted to engage the rear edge of sheets of different length, and means for raising the bars above the'surface of the sheet support and advancing the bars.

4. The combination with front gages of a sheet support over which the sheets pass to the gages, sheet lifting devices arranged be low the path of the sheets, means for raising and advancing the lifters to lift the sheet from the support and carry it forward, and adj ustahle pushers arranged to engage the rear edge of the sheet and push the sheet forward against the front gages.

5. The combination with front gages of delivery devices for delivering sheets to the front gages, a stationary sheet sup-port over which the sheets pass to the gages, sheet lifting devices arranged devices release the iizelow the surface of 139 the sheet support, means for raising and ad i lifters to lift the sheet from the support and vancing the lifters to lift the sheet from the support and carry it forward, and pushers arranged to engage the rear edge of the sheet and push the sheet forward against the front gages.

G. The combination with front gages of delivery devices for delivering sheets to the gages, a fixed sheet support over which the sheets pass to the gages, sheet lifting devices arranged below the surface of the sheet support, means for raising and advancing the carry it forward directly toward the front gages, and adjustable pushers arranged to 15 engage the rear edge ofthe sheet and push the sheet forward against the front gages.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK FL. eaos's.

Vitnesses: IRA L. FISH,

KATHARINE A. DUGAN. 

